XMen: Skoold
by Tori-Da-Mutt
Summary: AU: Logan got his memories back at Alkali Lake and No Stryker trying to eliminate mutants. Logan hit the road, and on his way back, rediscovers his affinity for picking up hitchhikers who drag trouble along behind them like luggage.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, here it is. I've promised it, but never actually got around to typing any of it up until now because I'm lazy.**

**This is really AU. The first movie has happened, but rather than Alkali Lake being a dead end for Logan's memory hunt, it spurred a large round of memories that forced out the bullets in his skull so he can remember everything now. With his memories, he took a very long road trip to let it all sink in.**

**So... Here. Enjoy it.**

**~August 30, 2005~ 3:43 pm~**

The streets were mostly empty this time of year, when the winds picked up and blew bits of rock and dirt into peoples faces. A young girl of eleven was one of the few to brave the weather and walk along the concrete. Her hair was long, to about her mid-back, and stark white, shadowing her pale skin that was marred by a single scrap of cloth wrapping around her face to cover her eyes. She wore only her school-issued dark grey dress and a heavy black trench coat that was obviously not hers as the sleeves were rolled up into thick cuffs, the bottom hem dragging along the ground, and even buttoned it was close to falling off her shoulders.

As she passed an alleyway, a pair of burly hands gripped her arm and pulled her in, slamming her against the brick wall before she could react.

"This her, Joey?" A mostly grown boy asked his brother, pinning the girl efficiently. "The girl who messed with you in class?"

"Y-yeah," The boy answered, seemingly unsure.

"J-Joey?" The girl managed to whimper. "W-What's going on?"

A palm smacked her face sharply. "Shut up! I'm gonna teach you a lesson, you little freak!"

Her mind scrambled in panic and, squirming and trying her hardest to escape, she ripped off the makeshift blindfold, emeraldy-jade green eyes wide and frantic as they locked onto a large steel dumpster to her side. It began to shake uncontrollably, and when the older boys hand loosened it's grip on her trench coat, the receptical lifted off the ground a few inches and whipped down the alley. There was a sickening crunch as it collided with the teen first, then the two younger boys beside him, and it fell into place a few feet away from their stilled bodies.

Trembling with fear and shock, the girl slowly crouched beside them and pressed a small hand to each chest.

_Oh god, _her mind screamed, _I'm a murderer!_

A hand landed on her shoulder and threw her back into her panic. A brick ripped free of the wall and flew with her sight to smash into the face of her next victim. After a moment of scared gasping, she made sense of the pale face in front of her that was spilling red into his once-white hair.

"M...Max... Max!" She fell to her knees beside her twin in horror at what she'd done. "No, no! That... That wasn't supposed to happen! You're not supposed to... y-you can't just... Oh god, I'm sorry!"

"T-Tess... Tessa..." He choked past the blood, putting a hand on her face with far more effort than it should have taken to wipe away a tear. "Hap...Happy... Birthday... Tess." He managed a kind, forgiving smile before the shine onf life in his green eyes faded away and he went limp.

Ignoring the burning sensation on her palm where she was touching his hand, Tessandra wept and swore that she would never hurt anyone if she had a choice.

And no one would get close enough to hurt her like this again.

**~November 17, 2006~ 11:25 am~**

The air at the park was calm except for a faint breeze that billowed past in the crisp autumn scenery. One of the stretches of sidewalk was claimed by a small group of skaters who were attempting minor tricks on a portable ramp. Off to the side, a boy sat on the park bench, watching the elder boys as he tried to whistle without sucking in.

Seeing his attempts fail repeatedly, the teens laughed and whistled to him in a friendly teasing way.

Irritated, he sucked in an enormous breath and forced it past his lips. At first, he was sure it had failed once again, but just as he was about to give up-

_Wheee! _The high-pitched keening sound sent visible shock waves through the air, tossing a boy with shaggy blonde hair much like the boys off of his skateboard and rolling across the ground, stopping just short of the pond where geese had swum moments before. He forced himself to his feet and gawked openly at the boy sprawled on his back in the grass behind his overturned bench.

"Jonah... That was fucking AWESOME!" He laughed excitedly as Jonah sat up in a daze. "Do that again!"

**~January 18, 2007~ 12:27 pm~**

The teenage girl scanned over the man before her, sitting in his wheelchair with a calm smile on his face. Her hair was straight and dark, framing a suspicious face. Her mother sat beside her, uncomfortable with the silence.

"Why?" The girl finally asked. "Why would I leave my life here to go to some school and help you? I have friends. I have family. What do you have to make me want to leave?"

"I understand that you have a life here, but Our school is always in need of assistance. If you chose to come and work with the rest of the staff, even just for a month or so, I will happily assist you in any way possible to get you on track for your Modeling career, be it simply paying for plane tickets or more."

"Megan," the girls mother started, "I... I think this would be good for you. Mr. Xavier's school will give you a chance to expand your resume', and there's much more room for you to fly. If it means anything, I say you should give it a try."

Megan glanced between them silently, then shrugged, standing up and letting her deep, rainbow-tinted black wings spread out a bit from her back. "Sure. I'll give it a try. Let me go pack."

**~February 7, 2012~ 7:13 pm~ Unknown Location~**

The woman sat silently, eyes closed in focus as she took in the scent on the jacket in front of her.

After what seemed like an eternity, she sighed. "I found him. He's following her. We might be able to pick them both up in one sweep."

"Any specific reason he's tailing her?" The stumpy man across the room from her asked, tweaking away at a small mechanism.

"Not sure. I'm only catching bits and pieces of his thoughts. Something about her past, from what I can find." She got to her feet, leaving the black fabric on the ground where she'd sat before pacing over to him. "I can delay him for a few minutes when it's ready."

"Good. You should tell the boss man before he gets too antsy."

She smirked. "Still afraid, eh?"

The man pouted. "No. The magnetic fields give me migraines."

"Sure they do, Brain," she sniggered. "You keep telling yourself that."

He rolled his eyes, waving a screwdriver over from it's perch on a rack across the room. "I'll need at least ten minutes to get either one of them hooked up properly. Get me that and we'll be good to go."

"I'll let him know."

**~April 13, 2012~ 2:24 am~ Somewhere in New York~**

She was too groggy to think straight when the man yanked the tarp away and yelled for her to get out of his trailer. She tripped over the edge of the trailer, nearly landing on her face before she recovered and tugged her gym bag over one shoulder, mumbling an apology that he spat at and drove away.

Nearly dead on her feet, she simply padded over to the ditch and dropped her bag down for use as a pillow, falling down onto it moments later. She would get moving in the morning. For now, she was just so... tired..

She pulled the still-too-large trench coat closer around herself, and within seconds was unconscious.

**~End transmission~**

**So, here's chapter one, which pretty much just explains how things got going and giving you things to mull over until next chap.  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Woo!**

**I can't help but feel Logan is incredibly out of charactor. I will excuse this to myself by saying that he's still getting over having learned everything about his past, so he's a little out of it at times. He has also come to apreciate that his life has definitely been better since his memory loss, so he's a bit less serious and more joking when people aren't in danger. He still drinks like a Russian and smokes like a Chimney. Still not afraid to be blunt and brutally honest, and of course he has his fair share of rudies. I hope you guys won't be too skeptical about it.**

**On with the story~**

**~April 13~ 7:46am~**

It really pissed him off if he was honest. Here was the cub he had raised fearless and strong, prepared to be a true warrior. She had been taught how to hunt, how to steal, how to _survive_, and yet she was stuck hitch-hiking and sleeping in a roadside ditch instead of living it up.

Granted, it made sense that she wouldn't want a lot of attention, considering how she'd left. Poor girl had been devastated when she came home, and with her blindfold gone, she couldn't keep her powers in check. It had left quite the mess when he woke up and realized she thought he was dead when she'd taken off. With how she'd been when she left, she wasn't likely to want _anyone_ to know who she was. Especially not law enforcment.

He edged a bit closer and knelt down beside her, brushing her stray bangs behind her ear. The light peering over the horizon gave her naturally toneless hair bright patches and streaks of firey oranges and pale pinks. It almost hurt to think of what she'd had to go through without him. There were several times where he'd been tempted to just take her back, bring her back into the den, and never let her leave again. But something always changed his mind- She was doing so well on her own. She wasn't livin' large, but she didn't _want _to. She was making a life of her own. He didn't want to ruin that for her, so he _couldn't_ step in.

Or, you know, she got in a Semi and he had to wait for the next stop.

She made a little whine, wriggling around in her sleep, and he held his breath until she settled. When she had, he pulled the shoulder of the trench coat back up over her arm. Again, he wanted to bring her home... but she was so close to getting where she wanted to go. It wouldn't be fair.

"I'll see you soon, cub." He whispered. Only a quick look around for safety before he seemingly vannished.

**~7:58 am~**

I groaned out loud when I woke up- once again- on the side of the road. Third time this month- I think that's a new record.

Eventually, I willed myself to my feet and swung the large black duffle bag over my shoulder. A few quick adjustments to my clothes and the blindfold I protected the world with, and I was walking. Again.

IT was nice, really. The wind wasn't deafening- more of a gentle breeze than it would be if I was riding in the back of a trailer. It didn't all smell like alcohol and engine grease, I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, and the soft grinding of dirt beneath my bare feet. Shoes were pointless anyways. If I couldn't look around, I'd have to be able to feel my way around, and shoes just got in the way. Annoying contraptions. Not sure how dad convinced me to wear them for so long.

And there was the emotional pain. Come on, Tess, put it away. Just lock it up the box and never look at it again.

Several cars drove past, honking at me as they passed. I igonored them and the impulse to flip them the bird. Town was still several miles up ahead, and if I wanted to get there before dark, I had to keep walking.

**~2:34 pm~**

I have been walking for six and a half hours. Hitch-hiking was looking very appealing right now.

The ground rumbled slightly beneath my feet, accompanied by the growl of an engine, and I gave in, turning a bit sticking out a thumb, to- hopefully- catch a ride from some kind, friendly stranger. Like those nice strangers in fairytales that always help out the good people because they have really good sense of charactor.

The vehicle- a truck, by the sound of it- slowed to a stop behind me, and I waited while the window buzzed down. "Where you headed, kid?" The gruff male voice asked from the drivers seat.

"Town, at least. Maybe further, eventually." I smiled when the locks clicked open and he invited me in. "Thanks." I swung the duffle to the floor by my feet.

"Don't mention it." The locks clicked again, and he shifted gears to get us going. The truck rolled along smoothly on the rough road, a result of good handling and care. The interior smelled like tobacco, gasoline and some musky, woodsy scent. Maybe... Oak? It was nice.

"I'm Tess."

"Logan." There was a bit of quiet for a minute, then he poked my temple through the blindfold. "What's with the blindfold?"

I twitched at the poke, then looked away. "It's just safer that way."

"Safer? Really?" He hummed to himself. "So... laser eyes? God I hope not- the last one of those I met was an ass."

I laughed. "No lasers."

"Hm... telekinetic?"

"Yeah. I can't control it though." Cue sigh of depression... back in the box.

"How bad?"

"If it dosen't have a heartbeat, it's at risk of being ripped from where ever it is and thrown all over the place. If it does, it's at risk of being killed by the things that don't." I leaned my head back. "I'm getting better though. When I was little, if I looked at things more than three seconds, they exploded. Last week, I stared at an apple for a whole seven seconds before it gave me an apple shower."

"Well, at least you found a loophole."

I swatted at his hand before he could poke me again. "Rubber. Weird, huh? I put a piece of old tire in my bandana so I don't break anything I can't afford."

It got quiet again for a bit.

"What about you?" I asked. Instinct made me sniff lightly at him. "Hmm... Shifter?" He scoffed and gave a denial. "uh... half-breed?" Another no. "Feral, then?"

"Mmm... I guess that's what you'd call me."

I smiled in triumph and dug around in a pocket of my bag, hunting through the forrest of wrappers until I claimed a granola bar and ripped it open.

"You on the move a lot?"

"Sometimes." I bit off a chunck. "Gotta be prepared. Never know when you'll have to run. I might have another one, if you want it."

"No thanks, kid. We're almost to town." We rounded a wide corner. "I'm planning on finding a bar with either pool tables or a cage fight when we get there. Bit low on Funds. Think you'll be alright without me for a few hours?"

Translation: You don't look old enough to be in a bar, so while I'm getting paid, you have to stay here.

"Trust me, I've got my own way of funding these little adventures." I smiled, peeling back some more of the wrapper.

"And that is?" He didn't sound like he believed me. I grinned.

"One of my best talents and not quite legal."

"... I won't ask."

"And I won't tell."

I swear I could _hear_ his eyes rolling at me. The truck rounded a final corner and when it straightened out, the engine cut off. I took that as my signal and slid out of the cab, tugging open a pocket of my bag to dig out my ball cap. Logan got to my side as I slid it down so it almost hid my blindfold. "Damn, Kid, You're _short."_

"You're just tall. Don't judge me." I started walking off towards where I could hear more people, putting years of training to the test as I called back to him, "I'll catch you later, Logan." He grunted in response, probably not expecting me to hear, and I melted into a crowd of locals. A few steps to the left... an inch to the right... a little faster- _wham! _I put on an apologetic expression, catching the woman before she fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, I got a little distracted." And I was off before she could note anything about me, tucking a wallet into my trench coat's pocket. _Too easy, hun. Too easy._

**~8:45 pm~**

I stepped into the bar and grill unnoticed, listening carefully. Loud people, the clink of glasses... The clack of pool tables. I summoned up my calm and breathed slowly. With a hard stomp, I focused on the reception I was getting from my feet. There was a bar off to the right, a few pool tables to the left, booths directly across what might have been a dancefloor, and after a moment, I singled out the distinct voice of my ride.

Satisfied, I made my way across the room and slid into an empty booth in the corner. I set my hat on the table, heaving a sigh of content. Now for the risky part.

I listened carefully to the small world around me and pulled out two or three of my recently aquired(read:Stolen)wallets. Certain that I wasn't at an immidiate risk, I began the task of separating my cash from my liabilities. Some of my donations were larger than others, while a small number were rather on the light side. Credit cards were an absolute no- I'd made that mistake once, and had no plans to repete it. Ever.

I carefully tucked away my first wallet in the crease of the cusions, sliding the cash into an empty pocket of my trench coat. There was a faint, clicky noise, almost like pegs tapping across the floor. A moment later, strong perfume entered my senses. The clicking stopped beside my table. "Hi, Ah'm Mary-Lou, and Ah'll be servin' ya tonight. Can Ah start 'chu off with somethin' to drink?"

I smiled politely. She had a lovely southern kind of voice. Slightly forced, but still a little different. "Hello. Um, could I get a Coke, please? And maybe something to eat?"

"Sure, Hun. We've got a nice selection of fresh meat cuts, or if ya a vegitarian, we have some nice, hand tossed salads. Ah personally would suggest either the Hot n' Cold Fillet Platter, if ya watchin' ya figure, or if ya need somethin' to fill ya up, then the Seafood Dish is divine."

"Got any steak, or ribs?"

I could imagine her face going skeptical from the little huff of breath. "Of course. Would ya like Barbeque or original?"

"Barbeque. And, if it's not too personal, what kind of perfume is that? Smells kinda' like... ah... Gucci?"

"Uh, yeah. Rush chypre fruity fragrance." Her accent was suspiciously absent.

I smiled at her surprise. It was pretty common at the last city I got sucked into. "It smells... nice." I lied through my teeth. Definitely too strong, and the fruit scent was mangled.

"Thank you." She preened. "Ah'll be back in a few minutes with your meal." The clicking returned as she walked away. Must have been stilettoes. I gave a shrug and went back to gathering my funds. The bar was alive and bustling, people everywhere, playing pool, drinking beers, dancing to a small variety of suggestive songs. There was talking, laughing, hoots and hollars all around. A pleasant change from the quiet of the road, though you wouldn't have caught me dead on the dancefloor, even if I was drop-dead-drunk. I had many skills, some of which were far from legal, but dancing was not among them.

I got through most of the wallets before she clicked back with a plate of hot, fresh barbeque ribs and an ice cold Coke. I thanked her politely and she walked away again. A small pout took my face. Either she was in a hurry or she was a snob.

But, for now, I had money to collect and what smelled like very, very tasty food to eat. I smiled and pulled loose a rib. The sauce stuck to my fingers like a warm blanket, and I could feel some of it smearing over my lips. Dad would have laughed and tossed a towel at me. Jokingly called me an animal. I smiled at what outsiders would think of my carefree, rather messy meal. I had inherited a high metabolism from someone in my family, so I had no reason to hold back and 'eat like a lady', as the elderly woman at the restraunt a month back had suggested. Feh, an old lady trying to tell me how to pick up a boyfriend. Yeah, I'd pass on that.

I sucked on the tips of my fingers as the booth seat across from me sank down. "So, I assume you got your cash?" Logan inquired with light sarcasm. I gave him a victorious smirk, wiped my spit-damp fingers on my jacket, and pulled out my wad of cash.

"Piece of cake," I decided past a bite of ribs, listening to the babble of the bar over his low whistle. "Course, sorting is a completely different set of locks... If I pay for both of us, can you count out enough to cover dinner?"

The bills were gently lifted from my grasp, crinkling as they were unravled. "Anything I want?"

"Anything..." I paused to raise a finger at him. "Except a stripper. I'm not payin' for that."

He gave a snort, curling a hand over the paper as our waitress clicked over. "Hi, Ah'm Mary-Lou. What can Ah get'cha, sug?" It wasn't too hard to pick up on the flirty edge of her words. I resisted the urge to scoff.

Logan sneezed. "Bless you," I pardoned, pulling the last strip of meat off the bone in my hands.

"Thank you. Uh, I'll have the ribs and whatever you've got on tap."

I assume that here she smiled and winked. "Ah'll be back in a bit." As she clicked away, She most likely put a little extra sway in her hip. A sway that Logan ignored to sort out the money I had collected.

It was a calming, steady _swish-thump_ as he stacked the bills appropriately. "Last time I picked up a hitch-hiker, she almost got us killed three times and blew up my truck." He stated.

"I doubt I'll be that much trouble." If I was, I'd leave before he had to make the choice. "And if you're worried, I don't bite... unless provoked." I added.

"Right." Ah, sarcasm, how wonderful you are. "Damn. This makes my pool skills look pointless. Do I even wanna know?"

"Eh, probably not." I paused and sucked sauce off my thumb. "Pickpocketing." I revealed at last, grabbing another rib. "My dad taught me a lot of things. Never know when they'll come in handy..." And there was the sadness again. Damn it, Tess, the box stays closed! "I can rob a person blind, and they'd never even know I was there. Also a master of the Arts of Diversion and Lock-picking, among others."

"Figures I'd pick up the theif."

My favorite line slipped out. "You know you love it." I grinned. "I take 'Cat burgler' to a whole new level."

The _swish-thump_ paused. "Care to explain?"

I caught the faint sound of clicking over a sudden roar of laughter across the bar. "Maybe later. Food's here."

"Here ya go, sug." Mary-Lou had returned with a platter close to my own, only minus the coke and add a beer. "Barbeque ribs and a Miller on tap." They lightly thumped to the table. I could imagine her leaning ove a little more than she had to, trying to get him to look at her cleavage. She was good at hiding the surprised breath at the money on the table top, but not enough. "Ah hope ya enjoy everythin' we have to offer." Now, if she 'accidently' spilled a drink on her shirt, I'd be really impressed.

"Thanks," he responded flatly. That's a blow to the ego.

She referred to me with a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' attitude in her tone. "Can Ah get'chu anythin' else, hun?"

"Yeah, actually. Could I get a refill on Coke, and some more ribs? Maybe some hot sauce?" I smiled at Logans half-laugh, half-sneeze. She must be giving me a rude look. "And it'd be nice if you didn't look at me like that. Bad for business."

She clicked away a little more quickly than before. "And how did you know she was giving you the stink eye?"

"I didn't. Your laugh-sneeze told me." I paused, looking in his direction. "It's her perfume bothering you, isn't it?" He grunted. "I don't like it either. Way too strong, way too...perfume-y." I grabbed my last rib and munched on it happily. He was a pretty cool guy. Even if I'd known him less than a whole day and hadn't seen his face.

**~10:25 pm~ Unknown Location~**

Brain glanced over his shoulder at her, then went back to steering. "I'm sure you'll get him. We just gotta get close enough."

"We can't take them together. It'll tip them off if they wake up and suddenly don't mind being kidnapped. We have to track him until he's not so close to her, or he might scare her away. I know he's capable of that much, no matter how much she means to him." She growled again, adding, "A damn bond I can't figure out."

A man with a brunette buzzcut sighed, scratching the fur on his bear-paw-hands. "Calm down, Psyche. You'll make it work in the end."

A light thud as she dropped her head to the window again. "I hope so. This asshole's given me enough headaches."

**~End~**

**I love this story. It has officially become my longest written out, and that isn't edited and added to. 65 pages!**

**Please review and give me your opinion. Do you like Tessandra? Is she good, bad, alright? TELL MEEEHHH!**

**...Please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**For Dani, because she was so freaking amazing and patient through my almost year of non updates.**

**~April 13 ~10:52 pm ~Somewhere in New York~**

I hate to admit it even to myself, but we ate like pigs. I got three servings of ribs myself, Logan polished off four easily _and_ managed a fifth, and we blew through refills of coke and beer. Mary-Lou gave up on flirting with Logan, possibly caught offguard by just how much he could eat, so we were left to eat in peace, with minor conversation when we were both waiting for our next round. Neither of us delved into anything personal- He didn't ask, I didn't tell, and vice versa.

At last, I wiped lefover barbeque sauce from my face and downed the last gulp of Coke in my glass. "We ready to go?"

He grunted his confirmation and slid some money under a glass with a low thud, passing the remainder to me. I followed him up, feeling a bubble in my stomach. Nearly synchonized, we let out two loud belches.

"Excuse you!" We chorused. "...That's creepy... Stop it."

At that point I giggled. I couldn't help it- What were the odds, really? It was something Max and I-

Yep. There's the pain. Just pack it away, Tess, pack it away...

I followed his heavy footsteps out the door, towards his truck. The locks slid open with a quiet click. A couple smaller cars drove by as we hauled ourselves into the chilly cab. A yawn crept up my throat. "What time is it, anyway?" I mumbled.

"Getting close to eleven. We'll probably have to find a motel or something."

"Preferably with running water."

The truck rumbled to life beneath me, and I leaned back into the seat. My sightless gaze turned towards the window. Logans fingers tapped quietly and impatiently on the steering wheel as he drove about. _Drove us about, _my conscience reminded me. _Unlike those other creeps over the years._

"Thank you."

Logans fingers stopped. I paused to reflect on my mouths ability to speak without my permission. "...For What?"

I stuffed my ball cap into my bag at my feet. "Well, for picking up a hitchhiker, to start. For not ditching me the second we got to town, or when you realized I was a mutant, for not taking the cash and running, for not making me leave tonight... For, well, not being a bastard like seventy percent of the people I've met." I forced back an awkward blush. "So... Thanks... I guess."

There was a long moment of silence in which I regreted saying anything. "I've been the drifter, kid. It gets rough. And I know... I wished there'd been some more people like me out there, so if I can help out a kid who was a lot like me, maybe there will be more. And I don't plan on sticking around with you forever, but you paid for dinner. I can't let you just wander around and fall asleep in a ditch. Might get raped or something."

A smile tugged at my lips. "Sure you could. Might not sit well with your conscience, but you could."

"Smartass."

"You know you love it." And there it was, that line again. I never realized how much I used it until I didn't talk long enough_ too _use it.

The truck rolled to a stop. With the a click, the engine died. With a tired sigh, I swung out and shut the door. Two heavy feet hit the concrete, and I moved towards them as he led the way.

"How can you tell it's me without looking?" He questioned, nudging me with his shoulder. I counterbalanced with a few steps to the side before moving to nudge him. He didn't budge.

"The way your walk sounds. Go long enough without seeing and you tend to pick up on the little things."

He snorted. "I'll keep that in mind."

A door swung open in front of us, and I slipped through behind my temporary companion. His footsteps were loud enough to give a faint picture of the lobby. A few picture frames on the walls, thick curtains in front of the windows, magazines overflowing on end and coffee tables. There was a thick counter near the back wall, a safe set into it from behind, and a box with plastic cards sorted carefully in it.

"How may I help you?" The voice was femenine, but slightly aged. Like a kindly young grandmother.

"We need a room for the night." I dug the wad of cash from my pocket.

"Double bed or two singles?" She clarified.

"Two singles."

"Basic, Deluxe, or Master package?"

"What's the difference?" I popped in.

"Basic comes with the beds, a bathroom, and a television. Deluxe comes with beds, bathroom, television, room service and access to the buffet, and Master come with beds, bathroom, television, in-room lounge, room service, and access to the pool, buffet, and gym."

"...Eh, make it Master."

"How many nights?" She asked lastly.

"Two nights."

There was a clattering sound, followed by a mechanical buzzing. "That'll be $68.98 please."

More clicking and clattering. She slid something across the counter. "Thank you. Please enjoy your stay."

Logan passed the remaining cash to me, as well as one of the plastic cards. Room keys. I stuffed the cash in my pocket carelessly, half-skipping after him. "Let's go, Tess."

I paused. "You do remember my name."

Again, I could practically hear his eyes roll as he nudged me again. I rebalanced and leaned my rather smaller mass on him. He barely moved. Again. "Have I mentioned you're short?"

"Have I mentioned your an ass?"

"Takes one to know one."

"Mine's sexier."

"If you say so."

I pouted childishly as he swiped the card to enter the room, stalking in behind him in mock-depression. He paced away from me, and I slammed my foot into the floor. Vibrations ran through the solids, forming a picture of the room.

There were two single beds placed carefully against the far wall, a cute little window perched between them above an end table, with a dainty lamp resting atop it. To the right of the door, the flooring changed from carpet to wood, where a couch, Loveseat, and two lazyboys resided infront of a flatscreen. A few feet closer to the back wall was a mini-fridge. To the left was a door, through which there was a tile floor, commode, shower, and a jaccuzi tub. Then there was him- Only about a head taller than me, with _very_ well defined muscles. He had a leather jacket and a backpack, which he dropped on one of the beds carelessly, over a tanktop and jeans with workboots. I really wanted to look at him. I mean,_ really _wanted to look. I'd been hanging out with the guy for almost twelve hours and I still didn't know what he actually _looked like._

I chewed my lip in indecision. He wouldn't see, I was too sneaky for that, but I had terrible control. I'd probably rip the bed to pieces...

"I've got two questions for you." He interrupted my musing. I casually moved over to the other bed, dropping my duffle on the sheets. "First off, why two nights with the Master package?"

I smiled wryly. "So I can check out the gift shop, gym, pool, and buffet of course. Besides, it smells like you've lived in that truck for a month non-stop."

"Right." Sarcasm noted. "And two... You mentioned earlier, somthing about 'Cat burgler'?"

_...Why didn't I think of that? _"That is another easy solution." I stated matter of factly. I slid my eyes closed, thumbs tugging the blindfold off my head and depositing it on my bed. I took a calming breath, turning towards him, and leapt, focued on the picture in my head. About a second later, rather than being tackled by 113 lbs. of young-adult female, his shoulder cushioned the landing of a two pound cat.

Well... almost. He had reacted instinctively to my leap, moving enough that I didn't land on his shoulder- instead, I clung to the sleeve of his grungy white tanktop with the tips of my claws, mewling patheticly for assistance.

"Cat burgler. That's a good one." He nudged my hind paws up to his shoulder, where I perched with droopy white ears in my mock depression. Being that shape-shifting apparently negated my telekineis, I took this chance to look at him. He had dark hair, a blackish-brown, slightly styled up into two points, and his eyes were a darkish chocolatey brown. He had a beard going- not like a lumberjack bush, but not barely there like a five-o-clock shadow. Somewhere in the middle. He cocked an eyebrow at me.I noted irritably that he looked sexy. Stupid muscles... "I thought you broke shit when you had your eyes open."

I mewled cutely, rubbing against his chin for a moment before leaping back to me bed. I morphed back to human mid-jump and felt across the sheet for my blindfold. "I don't know why, but my cat-form negates my telekinesis." I gave a casualy awkward shrug. "Who knew?"

He 'hmped.'

"What about you? What do you do?" I mused aloud, rolling to my stomach and gazing in his general direction, chin propped on my fist. There was a metallic scraping sound. Without bothering to think, I pushed up the edge of the blindfold. Three, one-foot-long blades protruded from his fist, coated with a reflective silver metal. "Ooh... Shiny." I grinned. He tensed at the words, and I flickered my gaze up to his face.

A swear tore from my lips when astrip of the carpet followed my gaze. The blindfold shot back down over my eyes protectively while I cursed my powers to hell and back.

Logan gave a low whistle. "I see why you need the blindfold."

"Gah, go shower or something. I want to wallow in self pity." I turned and faceplanted in the pillow, shoving my duffle to the floor.

He scoffed. "Sure. You do that. Just don't drown yourself or anything." He paced off towards the bathroom.

"Glad you're so concerned," I tried to mutter through the pillow. It sounded more like 'Gah yoso cosser.'

"Can't hear you, there's a pillow in the way."

I sat up long enough to shout "Smartass!" before planting my face again.

I swear I heard him chuckling at me. After a moment, the sound of running water reached my ears, and I decided to risk changing. A wandering hand found my bag and dug around for the familiar feel of cotton sweatpants and my ratty old hand-me-down shirt, which I exchanged my three-day-old clothes for. The shirt, pants, and underthings, like their companions, were stuffed into the main area of the bag with vague disgust, while the trench coat was hung on the bedpost.

I flopped down on the bed wearliy- again- and snuggled my face into the pillow. It was soft, a silk pillowcase, and very fluffy... kinda like a cloud...

"Tess?" I started back to reality from the edge of sleep. "Tess? Are you awake?"

"Mmm-hm?" I groaned.

"I... I forgot my backpack."

"Then come get it," I growled. Waking me up because you forgot something? Not cool.

After a moment, I heard him walking carefully. Around the time the towel hit the floor, I realized he was warning me because he was nude.

Blood rushed to my face, and I burried myself in the bed to hide it.

**~12:37 am~April 14~ Unknown Location~**

Psyche hissed angrily once more, kicking a small end table across the metal room. It shattered against the wall on impact.

Brain eyed her warily, his toad-like mouth grim. "Should I ask-?"

"That bastard got under my reach _again!"_ She paced angrily across the room, kicking the couch as she passed. It slid a few inches away. "I don't know how he does it, but as soon as I find out, I'll take it from him, even if I have to rip that head right off his shoulders!"

Bear snorted from the corner, picking at his teeth with a small bone. "You say that to me every ten minutes. You wouldn't risk your manicure."

The blonde seized a knick-knack from a shelf and whipped it towards the brunette, who ducked casually, letting it smash against the metal wall behind him. "You missed."

Psyche screamed.

**~End Transmission~**

**...Oh. My. GAWD.**

**I spent three hours typing up the full chapter, only for the window to close and have to start all over again.**

**Sorry it's short. Live with it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: No internet connection, so I started typing. Enjoy.**

**~ April 14~ 8:27 AM~ **

It had been far, far too long since my last shower.

A content sigh slipped through my lips as I rubbed dry with the extremely fluffy towels. This was the most luxury I'd enjoyed in a long time- A snack of cubed fruit when I first woke with Logan snoring away the morning in the next bed, a concierge I could send off to wash my laundry, (I'd have sent Logan's, too, but I was pretty sure he wouldn't appreciate me going through his bag) an amazing sound system I play my CD's on at a reasonable volume, and a way too hot shower to finish it off.

The sun was just peering over the horizon when I finished dressing- a long sleeve shirt that reached to my mid-thigh that I _think_ was a light blue and baggy jeans I had reason to believe were black. Clean, warm, and content, I started back into the main room.

I froze solid at a pained grunt. A few seconds later, There was a huff of bedding and springs; Logan had rolled or twisted.

"...Logan?" I called softly. A quiet groan was my reply. I edged closer, reaching out my hand to the bedpost, then the mattress. "Logan, Wake up." There, his wrist... arm... shoulder... "Logan!"

The moment I started to shake his shoulder, I heard the loud metallic scraping from the night before. Fear clogged my throat as I shoved myself backwards, losing my balance and hitting the ground roughly. A faint stinging burned along my abdomen.

"Wow... I'm so glad I was awake..." My hand ran down the front of my shirt until it found a rip, just above my naval. "Damn, I liked this shirt."

"Are you alright?"

I gripped the lower piece of fabric tightly and yanked down. A loud rip signified that the fabric had torn further. "I'm fine. Maybe a scratch, if that-"

"Tess, you're bleeding!"

I paused, touching the stinging on my abdomen. The fingertips came away wet. "Huh... so I am..."

The floor creaked slightly. A pair of hands pulled my up, setting me on the bed. "Damn it!"

I sighed and ripped the fabric further. "Calm down. I've got a med-kit in the bottom of my bag. Massively overstocked." I finished ripping off the damaged ring of fabric and tucked it under my legs. As I leaned to grab it from the floor, I felt the twinge of pain where I'd been wounded. He must have got me better than I thought. I idly pressed the scrap fabric to my wounds.

Logan returned, depositing a med-kit beside me and flipping it open. "Are you good at playing doctor?"

"If you wanted to play, you could have just asked."

"Tess-"

"Go soak a washcloth in cool water. Wring it out so it's not dripping. And bring in a bath towel, too."

The floor gave a quiet series of thumps as he walked away to follow my directions. I used the hand I hadn't gotten bloody to feel over the contents of my med-kit. A small bottle that was either Tylenol, aspirin, or sleep aids... another small bottle... a squishy tube that might have been neosporin... a plastic wrapped cube that I couldn't remember the contents of... Finally, the large ace bandage, with a small metal clip keeping it rolled, and the medical tape... another bottle, but this one was shaped different. Either rubbing alcohol or peroxide, and they were both sterilizers, so it didn't matter too much.

I laid out the supplies I knew for certain and carefully reclined, bringing more pain to my abdomen as the skin stretched more than it probably should have. My bloody hand lifted the scrap of fabric slowly, the once-clean hand trailing up underneath it. Satisfied that I wasn't gushing blood all over the bed, I slowly pressed a finger into the wound-

_Pain._ I hissed loudly, jerking my hand away. Of course, touching the wound hurt, but I had thought it wasn't as bad as Logan had made it sound. Gritting my teeth, I pressed the finger back to the wound, right in the separation of flesh. Pain seared through me again, and a grunt/growl vibrated up my throat. The tip of my finger hit un-cut meat, and I removed it as Logans footsteps returned. I held up the probing hand. "How far up my finger is the blood?"

The washcloth pressed against my stomach. "Almost up to your first knuckle."

"Shit..." I wiped my hands on my scrap fabric. "Check my kit, I should have a needle and some thread. Fuck, I hate injuries, nothing but fucking irritation and trouble... You got it? Good. How many cuts are there?"

"Only two, the third one's just a scratch."

Wonderful. "Alright, we're gonna have to stitch it up, and by us, I mean you, because I can't sit up while you're stitching my stomach."

"No- Tess, I don't do stitches- never have and I can't... I can't practice on a living person-"

"We don't really have many options." I snapped, pressing the slowly warming washcloth tighter to my stomach. "But if you've never done stitches... Fuck. Alright, I'll teach you real quick. Get me a pillow, and put some thread on the needle."

After a five minute crash course on stitches, Logan was slightly more confident in his abilities to sew me together without causing more damage. After another five minutes of sorting supplies and briefing him on the how-to order, I bit down on a pillow and gave him a thumbs up.

Never again. Never. EVER. I will never do home-made stitches on my stomach again.

**~Logan-View~**

Logan had come to three conclusions. First; he would never be a doctor, because there was no way in _hell_ that he would be capable of sitting and listening to people scream, grind their teeth, and fight back pained sounds while he disinfected a wound, then(with terrible ability) sewed them together. Second; He would never forget to be grateful he wouldn't have to sit in a hospital and let someone else do the same to him. Third; Tessa was absolutely out of her mind for having any faith in him to not screw up his first time doing stitches on a _living, writhing, pained human being._

Just listening to her grunt into the pillow while trying in vain to not tense her stomach and make it all the harder was making him feel sick. He had no clue how field doctors managed to deal with things like this. Then, with the peroxide no longer fizzing insanely on her wound and the remainder wiped away, he had to actually stab a threaded needle through her skin while she tried her hardest not to writhe or react in any physical way to the pains with her blood on his fingers distracting him constantly. For the first time he could remember, he actually felt like throwing up, and that was as new as it was disgusting.

Finally done sewing her together- twice, as she had two wounds that needed to be stitched- he used a second washcloth to wipe up the remaining blood, then helped her sit up at her request.

"Fuck, I hate stitches. They just... Ugh. Hand me the gauze, and get that bandage ready."

As he followed her instructions, he couldn't help wondering how often she'd been forced to play field-medic on herself before, and how she had managed to get it done without getting attention on her. She held the gauze in place with eerie accuracy, and somehow kept any of the pain from registering on her face, letting him wrap her wounds with the large ace bandage without the slightest sign that she was uncomfortable.

Finally done with the game of 'fix-the-teen,' she slowly got to her feet and paced back and forth across the floor. "For not doing stitches, I say you did pretty well, Doctor Logan."

He couldn't bring himself to respond, instead walking to bathroom and scrubbing the blood from his hands. After a moment, Tess joined him. "What's up, big guy? Never seen a cut before?"

"Never had to sew up a person before." He mumbled gruffly, drying his hands and walking back to the bed to gather the bloody towels and put her med-kit back together. He paused, seeing the label on her pain-killers. "...Do you know that all of your medicine is expired?"

She grunted, giving him a shrug as she moved to the mini-fridge and felt around until she found a can of soda.

"Have you used any of this recently?" He pried, picking up the offending medication and tossing it in the trash. Again, she only grunted, shrugging. "Tess."

"Okay, yeah, I have. I took some painkillers yesterday while I was trying to find a ride. I'm not dying, and I'll be just fine, so just... stop trying to be a friend, because I don't de-" She cut herself off, seeming to half-choke on the word she'd chosen. "I don't... I can't... Ugh."

She determinedly turned away from him and found the love seat with little trouble, dropping to sit on it with a wince, then more gently laid down, cracking open the can violently and downing several gulps.

Logan stared at her for a while, waiting for her to explain, but she kept quiet and he let it drop for the moment. But, eventually, he would get the story out of her.

Something had happened, and though he wasn't sure why it mattered to him so much, he wanted to know.

**~Tess-view~ 11:25 am~**

The concierge finally returned my clothes, and I took them quickly so I could shut the door in his face without him questioning me on my bandages. I felt through the laundry until I found a new shirt, and retreated to the bathroom to change. Logan had gotten quiet after my outburst, and I felt horrible for being as rude as I was to him- really I did- but I couldn't bare to let anyone else get close. Not when I'd killed so many people already. I wouldn't kill him too.

It was a relief I no longer had a massive injury peering out from beneath my shirt, but that was just the beginning of what I had planned for all of my downtime. My irritation flared again, knowing that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the pool or gym anymore. Despite, I had things to do. Starting with apologizing to Logan.

I slowly left the bathroom, hearing him rustling around in the fridge. I gave a stomp to get my bearings, Then let out my breath. "I'm going to take what's left of my clothes down to the laundromat. If you've got anything you want washed, I'll take it with me." I almost mumbled. Mentally kicking myself, I turned to gather up the used things- the rinsed-out washcloths and the bath towel, my sleepwear, my slightly bloody newly-cut crop-top, and the clothes he had dropped in a pile by the bathroom door the night before. At first, he didn't react, and I busied myself with dropping the laundry in the basket the concierge had been nice enough to deliver with my clothes. Not hearing him move, I decided- rather sadly, I admit- he wasn't interested. The weight of the basket settled against my hip as I turned for the door, until the faint noise of a zipper reached my ears. I paused for a moment, hand reached out to the door knob. More weight dropped into the basket, and he awkwardly pat my shoulder. I fought back the ghost of a smile tugging at my lips and left to take care of things.

I made my way down to the laundromat with only one bellhop giving me directions and set about my slight sorting of jeans-shirts-underthings, hearing the whispers of the other laundry-day veterans. Whispers about how odd it was that a blind girl was doing laundry, comments about it being sexism, and a short debate on whether or not someone should come help me- things I had heard before, though less intensely than now, with my doing clothes that clearly weren't mine. It was sort of calming. It was normal. Something everybody did, something I didn't have to feel like an outcast for doing. I tossed my three bundles into different machines and after a few minutes of twisting knobs had them going at the appropriate setting. I tiredly settled for a seat atop one of the machines.

I nearly fell asleep to the constant whirrings of the metal contraptions. A soft scraping caught my ear, and I zeroed in on the cause quickly. One of the visitors had come to play the saint. Misguided saint, of course, but still a saint.

My face lazily turned in their direction. "Can I help you?" I asked in my best innocent voice. They flinched, if the rough scrape of shoes on the floor was anything to go by.

"I was just wondering... Are you all alone here? Or are you here with a friend...?" A woman, probably in her mid-late thirties. Silly people, trying to help.

I put on a smile. "No, I'm here with a friend of my daddy. We're on a road trip." My voice was so chipper I nearly gagged myself, but I held up the polite face. "Daddy was going to take me... But then there was the accident... So Logan's taking me instead."

She made a sympathetic noise. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but... This accident... did it have a hand in-?"

"Yeah. It made me blind. But it's okay, because Daddy raised me tough. I can handle anything." My heart twinged at the line I'd used so many times before, when I really did have my dad raising me up to be tough like him. _Damn it, Tessa, stop reflecting._

The machine beneath me buzzed to signal it was done, and I pushed off to continue with my self-imposed chore. The machines buzzed in order, and I rotated the contents to a dryer of their own, once again fiddling with the knobs to find the right setting before hitting start and perching atop the first dryer.

The woman continued to chat with me, trying her best to make sure I wasn't in trouble or doing anything I didn't want to. It was almost insulting how easy she was to lie to. I was telling her some cock-and-bull story about "Uncle Logan" coming on a fishing trip where I caught a fish "Thiiiiis big!" Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway to my ears. I paused, turning my face to the door. The woman started to ask what was going on when the footsteps abruptly got louder(to me, at least. She apparently hadn't noticed them) and Logan must have stepped into view.

"There you are. Took me forever to find this place."

I smiled sweetly. "Hi, Logan. I'm waitin' for the clothes to dry, then I'm gonna check out the buffet."

He gave some inaudible reaction. "Do you ever stop eating?"

"Nope!" I grinned, popping the 'p' adorably. I was good at acting cute. I imagine he shook his head at this point before leaning against the dryer beside me. The lady politely excused herself and returned to her group of friends. I almost- _almost- _missed her keeping away the silence. Logan's breathing was calm and even, which was comforting. At least he wasn't still freaked over playing surgeon.

The dryers buzzed one after the other, and I hopped down to get back to work. Logan kicked the basket over to me and I smiled a bit as I emptied the contents of one machine into it. With the slightest huff, I lifted it to the top of the machine and started pulling out separate pairs of jeans. They weren't too hard to sort- I had pretty much memorized the feel of every pair of jeans I owned, so obviously anything I didn't recognize was Logans. I paused for a second when I heard the snap of jeans being shook out before continuing, allowing Logan to fold the jeans he grabbed. We must have been quite the sight- a short blind girl and a bearded muscle man doing laundry together. Next went the shirts, and lastly the underthings and sleepwear.

Logan hummed when I set the basket atop the machine. "Let's see... Mine, mine... Mine, mine, not mine, not mine, not mine..." I stumbled back in surprise when fabric hit me in the face, giving a tiny 'eep' before tossing the garments back to the dryer. He chuckled, and I decided to forgive him. This Time. But if he ever drew attention to us when my underwear was in sight again, I would happily drop a wall on him.

**~5:36 pm~ Somewhere Nearby~**

Of all the people on the planet, his little girl had to hitch-hike with him.

He growled low in his chest, for a moment forgetting that he was in a public place. It was an outrage- this stupid do-gooder would no doubt confuse her morals, especially if he convinced her to tell him anything about her past. Dammit, he had raised her to be a survivor, and nobody was going to change that!

As he watched, the white-blonde tensed up, pausing with a milkshake halfway to her mouth. Her spoon hit the floor with a quiet clatter, easily conceived as an accident. She muttered something in reply before sliding from her seat and walking to grab a clean one, taking the opportunity to calm herself. She returned to the table and immediately stuck a spoonful of shake in her mouth. Logan spoke again, paused as if waiting for a reply, then again before she snapped loud enough for him to make out words, "It's nothing you need to know, so drop it."

A smirk took his face. "That's my girl," he almost purred. She could handle this.

**~End Transmission~**

**That was fun. I thought we could use a look in from Tessa's daddy's POV, so we miss out on the bad guys this time around. Don't worry, they're still being evil and all that jazz.**

**Please leave a review, even if only to criticize. It fuels my inspiration.**


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys must love when my internet goes out. I get so much typing done.**

**Oh, and to avoid legal trouble- This is FANFICTION. Meaning, I don't own most of this stuff. I do own my character Tessandra, as well as my secondary characters- Megan Auston, Jonah Jiana, Zander McKinel, Fate Rastom, Psyche, Bear and Brain, plus this story as it has been put together. Anna and Anthony Buredo belong to Good boy-chan and Andra Damon and Kira White belong to the amazing and mind-blowingly wonderful DaniZaraki. McDonalds, Big Macs, French fries, Coca-Cola, Happy Meals, X-Men, the X-Men franchise, the X-Men Logo and title, Logan, Magneto, Professor X, Jean Gray, Scott Summers, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Kathrine Pryde, etc. Do not belong to me. I do not make a profit from this, because if I did, I would be rich, I would have met Hugh Jackman, Jason Statham and Vin Diesel and I would not be complaining to you guys about wanting everything in the world.**

***nods* That should cover everything. Enjoy.**

**~April 16~ 1:46 pm ~Unknown Location~**

The short, pudgy man heaved a laborious sigh and leaned back in satisfaction. Four months of near non-stop work, and it was finally completed.

"Alert Magneto," Brain muttered in his crackly, almost-robotic voice. "The M.A.D's are complete and ready for installation as soon as we get the subjects in."

Bear growled, prepared to tell the brainiac in very colorful terms to deliver his own message when Psyche's eyes snapped open and she gave a small laugh. "I got him! I found that asshole!" The gorgeous blonde lurched to her feet and paced elegantly yet swiftly over to the opening of their hideout. "Bear, get your ass moving! I'm not losing this trail again!"

Casting a haughty and disappointed look at his male comrade's devastated face, the wall of muscle rose to his feet and lumbered after the dainty mutant. She wasn't much of a pleasure to hang around with, but she had a way of getting her timing perfect to get him out of trouble. Or, in this case, irritating courier tasks.

"B-but I- I can't- Ahh... Assholes."

**~April 18~ 7:38 pm ~A McDonald's in New York~**

I resisted the urge to tap my foot spasticly but only barely. The tension in the air was choking me. Logan hadn't spoken a word to me since we left the last town, where I had essentially forced him to chose between causing a scene in a restaurant and not trying to make me talk about my past, and while I wasn't big on talking, _anything _would have been better than the near silence of a crackling radio or, currently, the typical noises of a McDonald's lobby.

In an attempt to distract myself from the temptation to display my discomfort, I rooted around in my fries and stuffed a few in my mouth. The salty taste was welcomed.

"I fought in more wars than I care to remember." Logan deadpanned. My eye twitched at the sound. "I helped some really bad people find things to help them be worse people, I killed my father, My mother screamed at me until I left, my brother tried to kill me on more than one occasion, he killed the woman I loved while I was trying to leave behind all of that, and I've done a lot of things I really regret. I'm not gonna force you to tell me anything, but nothing you could say is gonna change my opinion of you."

I kept to my silence, chewing a few more fries, then taking a long draw of coke. I heard the wrapper of his Big Mac rustle As he took another bite. The silence started to settle in again. Without my permission, the words spilled out.

"I was seven. And I had dissed this boy at school when he tried to sneak up at me- I tripped him in the hallway and he got a bloody nose and everyone laughed at him. I was heading home afterwards, and he had his big brother grab me off the street. I got scared and I panicked... And I took off my blindfold and lost control. I killed him, his brother, and the two other boys he had with him. Then, while I was still panicking, my... My twin found me. He touched my shoulder, and I spun around, and... I hit him with a brick. And he died. I knew people were going to come after me, so I ran home and threw some clothes in a bag. Dad caught me as I was running out the door, and I knocked the house down while he was running for the door behind me. Six people, one day, all dead, because I didn't know how to control it."

As soon as I finished my story, I shoved a bite of my burger in my mouth and kept my face pointed towards the table. The blindfold was getting damp, and I mentally cursed myself to hell and back for letting my emotions get out.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt his hand on my shoulder. As it was, I flinched violently, sloshing a few drops of coke over the rim of my cup to dribble down onto my fingers. This time, I voiced my anger at myself quietly with a muttered swear.

"It wasn't your fault. And... You probably... Don't want people to get close... Because you think it will happen again. But that's not the way to fix it." It was rather obvious that he wasn't big on all the touchy-feely comforting shit, and it reminded me so much of my dad that I couldn't help but feel better.

Still, I spat rather bitterly, "What other options do I have?"

"I mentioned that I had some friends I was planning to visit. They run a school specifically for kids with these problems. If anyone can help, it'll be them."

I paused everything for a moment to process what he said. A few lines from some up-beat pop song drifted through the speakers above our heads. A child whined at the counter about wanting some toy in his happy meal. "You think it's a good idea... To put me around _more people,_ who may be able to teach me to not destroy everything around me, while entertaining the _incalculably huge chance_ that I might slip up and bring down an entire school building on top of people I don't know?"

" I wouldn't have worded it that way, but essentially, yeah." _And you sound totally at ease with that idea why? _"Trust me, Chuck can make anything work. He helped me get my memories back when they were completely gone, why can't he help you with a little telekinesis trouble?"

I sat thinking for another moment before starting to laugh- low at first, just a chuckle, then a little louder. Not quite to the point where it would garner much attention, but enough to probably make Logan wonder if I'd gone insane. "God, you remind me so much of my dad." I breathed at last. "You guys probably could have been brothers, you're so much alike."

"I really hope that's a good thing. I can always leave you here."

A small, sad smile perched on my lips. "Yeah. That's a good thing." I took a last swallow of coke before tossing what was left of my food in a bag to take along.

**~oOo~**

An irate growl rumbled in his chest. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to let her hitch a ride with that bastard. It had taken every ounce of his willpower to not pounce on the son of a bitch when he touched her and made her flinch so severely.

Wiping his mouth on a napkin, he rose silently to his feet and started to follow the duo out the door. A flash of black fabric caught his attention, and he turned to the booth they had just vacated. His breath hitched for a moment. The forgotten article was lifted in his hand slowly.

Her trench coat. The one thing she had never left behind, ever. The one thing she held on to from all those years ago, with it's slightly worn elbows and a grease stain on the shoulder and a fraying edge at the bottom. That bastard had caused her enough bewilderment that she'd forgotten it.

Rage boiled in his stomach as he watched the old truck drive away. With all the grace and danger of a tiger stalking it's prey, he started out the door, fully intent on following them to their next stop and taking his cub back by any means necessary.

He made it around the corner of an alley before the world shifted slightly on its axis. He blinked rapidly, stumbling against a wall. A moment later, everything went dark.

**~oOo~**

"How much farther, Max? I'm bo~red. I wanna go home and play with daddy. He's gonna teach me to fix up the motorcycle tomorrow mornin' and I don't want him to get mad at me because you made me stay out late."

"Don't worry, Tessie, it's just a little farther. You'll love it, I know you will! It's so pretty, and nobody else knows about it, so there's not a bunch of people tryin' to make a mess of everything. Oh! It's just on the other side of this tree here! Come on!"

The two children made their way onward, the leader a boy not an inch taller than the girl, though his white hair was cropped much shorter than his companions, which brushed her mid back under the black bandanna covering her eyes. His eyes, a bright emerald green that couldn't possibly have been natural, glittered with excitement as he guided his sister around the mentioned tree. After a moment, he convinced the girl to push the blindfold up onto her forehead to grant her sight. Her eyes, also green, seemed to warp around her pupils with flashes of yellow and black. Any insecurities she had felt vanished upon realizing what she was seeing.

Before her sprawled a huge grassy field, greenish-brown grasses up to her chest billowed slightly in the lazy late night summer breeze, night-blooming flowers with enormous heads dotting the vast expanses with blobs of purple and blue and pink. The silvery moonlight cast a hazy light over the muggy air of the scene, crafting a magical fog and an enchanted air about the place. Vast forest lined the meadow, the dark browns and deep, mossy greens of the trunks making an impenetrable wall, the tall canopies painted with edges of silver like a picture frame.

Unable to form a coherent sentence, Tess reached out to her brother's hand, pulling him close to her side. It didn't occur to her that she wasn't thinking about her powers, or that nothing seemed to be happening to the world around her under her gaze. For a long moment, there was nothing else in the world. No mutations, no people, no troubles. Just her, her brother, the meadow- their meadow. And for once, she was content to leave it that way.

**~oOo~**

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, a loud, constant, ongoing rhythm. It matched her footsteps as they ran, pounding across mile after mile of earth and pavement. Da-Dum, da-dum, da-dum. She couldn't even remember why she was running- she just had to keep going. Something bad was behind her. She had to get away. Far away. The pulse was so strong she could feel it in her eyes, in a line down her abdomen, in her finger tips themselves. How long had she been running? It must have been quite a while. She could feel the dull ache in her legs that meant she was getting tired. Trees and lampposts and buildings and little cars with everyday people in them passed in a blur. Everything was a blur, in fact, but that didn't make sense. Why couldn't she see clearly? Was she crying? Or running so fast the air was making her eyes water?

Why could she see at all?

Abruptly, the image around her shattered, falling in colorful shards to the ground. The moment they settled, they faded to black. Whispers all around her, from nowhere. She clamped her hands over her ears, but she could still hear them. Taunting. Cruel. Vicious. _Creepy. Freak. Blind. Mutie. Monster._

"Why'd you do it?"

"Why them?"

"Why me?" Shudders filled her body at the voice. "I thought you loved me, Tess. Why me?"

_Why? Why? Why, Tess? Tess? Tess!_

"Tess!"

**~End Transmission~**

**Aaaaand done. Yeah, that qualifies as a cliffhanger, don't it? You're welcome!**

**Short chapter is short. But it's mostly filler in the first place, so, nyah.**

**Tori Da Mutt is OUT!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Enjoy if you can.**

**~April 19~ 6:37 pm ~Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters~**

I startled awake to Logan shaking me by the shoulder, calling my name. I jerked roughly, rolling out of my seat and colliding with an uneven, rocky ground. Gravel, maybe?

Heavy footsteps hurried around to my side, and calloused hands pulled me upright. "Tess? Are you alright?"

After a moment, I managed to grumble an affirmative. "Bad dream," I mumbled, almost too quiet to hear. Logan pulled me to my feet, my hands automatically grasping at his arm, and from the texture under my toes I confirmed we were on a gravel driveway of some sort. This changed my options for figuring out where I was- can't exactly stomp on gravel. I rolled my neck carefully, ignoring the dull throb in my head and the burning, stinging pain across my abs. Slowly, I asked, "Is there anyone else nearby?"

"Yes." I flinched again, smacking into the side of the truck. "Ororo Munroe. Most people call me Storm. Are you sure you're okay?"

I muttered irritably. "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine." I heaved a sigh. "Just... Hold still, and don't talk."

With a slow breath, I pushed my blindfold up, clearing my mind as much as I could before my sight returned. An enormous mansion stood before me, with tall windows and big doors. Well maintained grass grew on the lawn, lined with small bushes of bright flowers. A few old trees dotted the area, swaying in a slight breeze. It was beautiful, I managed to think.

My gaze absently rested on tree, which gave a heavy groan. I quickly yanked my blindfold back down. The groan ceased instantly.

"So much for having a look around..." I grumbled. Logan pat my back and started to lead us up the gravel driveway.

"Aren't you going to put on some shoes?" Ororo asked. I tried not to snort, keeping in mind that she didn't know anything about my mutations. I turned to speak, but Logan beat me to it.

"'Ro, you do realize she can't see where she's going, right?"

I smacked his shoulder. "Logan, play nice. She hasn't exactly been read into the situation. Come on, I want off the gravel."

I started picking my way across the gravel towards the mansion's doors, or at least in their direction, when I was grabbed around the waist and lifted into the air. I gripped the arm around me tightly, kicking my legs as I was turned on my side, half-screaming at Logan in shock and indignation. Was he seriously going to carry me to the door? Like a child?!

I maintained my wild flailing until at last he set me on the ground. Upon finding the ground under my feet stable and flat, I lashed out and smacked him several times. It wouldn't do any damage, but hopefully it would get the point across. "You asshole! I am perfectly fine with walking! If you ever pick me up like that again I'll drop this fucking mansion on your head!" I attempted to shout, noting that it came out a little more whiny than I intended before turning away and taking a couple of steps. A loud huff echoed from my mouth, covered by the sound of Logan's scoff. Ignoring him the best I could, I slammed my foot down and paused to feel the returning vibrations.

Behind the massive doors was a wide, tall entry hall, with more halls I couldn't quite feel breaking off from it. I caught the base of a saircase, and several picture frames that probably held paintings and photos I would never see. End tables sat here and there, most with some decoration or another perched atop them. I felt a few rugs, the faintly blurry figures in my "vision" on the floor. Those might pose a little trouble with coordination.

I silently thanked the boy from all those years ago for helping with my blindness before shoving the emotion away in it's little box in the corner of my head.

"Would you like the tour now or later?"

I held a hand up in his direction. "I'm still pissy with you."

Storm chuckled from off behind us. "How about I give you the tour, then?"

I smiled politely. "That would be wonderful."

Storm started my tour by leading me towards the large dining room they used for special occasions. Judging by the volume pulsating through the doors, I could assume that tonight was one of them. I hesitated a few feet behind her, fighting not to shuffle my feet. It sounded like a lot of people... It was different to stop at a fast food resaurant for lunch, or stay in a hotel for a night or two on the road, but these were people who lived here, everyday, who knew everyone, who probably knew almost everything that happened around the so-called school.

"Something wrong, dear?"

The voice was soft, fatherly, aged. It was the kind of voice that made you feel safe. That put me on edge instantly. "Nothing serious, I just-"

"Not fond of people, I suppose?" Okay, now I was concerned. "Nothing to worry about, dear. I spoke with Logan just a few moments ago. He mentioned that you needed a bit of assistance with a problem? If you plan to stay for a while, I'm sure a short discussion could go a long ways." I took a moment to stomp again, taking in the renewed image. The same hallway, which split off of the main hall, but now it had the addition of a wheelchair-bound man, rolling towards us and the dining room. "First things first, of course. Professor Charles Xavier. Shall we eat?"

He started wheeling towards the doors. I started to sputter out a response, but before I even got a word out the doors were swinging open, and the noise level multiplied several times. Some corner of my mind noted that Logan was approaching, but the larger part of it was panicking because_ holy shit how many people are here oh god they're staring at me do they know shit they do they know they fucking KNOW-_

Stop. Breathe. In, out, in, out, in. Now walk. Just walk. Calm. Cool. Collected.

I followed Logan's heavy footsteps through the sudden quiet, trying and failing to ignore the whispers that circulated the room. "Is that Wolverine?" "Who's that chick?" "Is she a teacher?" Words and theories whirling around the room at top speed, until we sat down and Charles spoke.

"Good evening, students, staff. Before we eat, I would like to welcome an old friend, Mr. Logan, and a new one, Miss Tessandra. They will be staying with us for a while, and I expect each and every one of you to treat them with respect. Would you like to say anything?"

I gave my head a single jerk of denial, hearing Logan grunt a no before the Professor gave everyone the go ahead. I let the sounds of talk and idle chatter fill the air before stomping. As I had expected, there were a lot of people, probably forty, forty-five, maybe even fifty, considering some people might not have been in attendance.

The girl beside me nudged my leg under the table. "You know it's a serve yourself kind of thing, right? As in, look around and get your own food?"

"If I took a look around, most of the people in this building would be dead in about two minutes," I deadpanned, rather deeply in my discomfort.

"Wolverine" nudged me with his elbow. "Is there anything you won't eat?" There was a splatter sound as food was dished onto his plate.

I gave a shrug. "Pudding... Spinich... Asparagus... Anything drowning in gravy, and honey ham. And I smell... A lot of honey ham. What, like, five platters of it?"

"Yeah, just about."

Miss Priss butted in. "Am I missing something?"

I turned to her, aparently at the same time as Logan, both of us replying, "You're missing everything." A short pause. "Okay, stop it. Seriously. Stop!"

My plate clunked down to stop the erie synchronization. "Potatoes on top, cornbread on the left, macaroni on the right, turkey in the front." His fork scraped his plate, then paused. "You want milk or tea or something?"

"Milk sounds great."

Logan was kind enough to dish out my second plate, which I thanked him for. Otherwise, the meal passed uneventfully. A boy dashed past after a handful of people had filed out, paused and tossed a "Welcome to Mutant High" over his shoulder before taking off, boots thumping loudly on the hard floors, an animal on his heels from the sound of claws clacking over the hard floors. Maybe a shapeshifter?

"Storm" was waiting for us at the door, along with a guy who introduced himself to me as Scott and Cyclops. They started walking together, and when Logan followed them, I followed him out of habit. They talked a bit about the school, the classes and the subjects they taught as they led us through a few hallways. I fought back a whine when Scott took Logan down one hall, Storm calling me along another. I didn't want to room with a bunch of strangers. I followed her despite, all too aware of how my body tensed up now that it was only me and her.

"...and this will be your room. You'll be bunking with Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee. You won't mind, will you?"

I forced a smile. "No, it'll be fine. Did someone bring in my bag, or should I go grab it now?"

"We had Pete bring it up before we ate. It should be on your bunk."

"Thank you." As she walked away, I rolled my shoulders, trying to force myself to relax. These people weren't going to hurt me. They weren't after my blood. I would be fine. I made to pull my trenchcoat tighter around me, only to find I wasn't wearing it. I must have taken it off in Logan's truck. Fan-fucking-tastic, I was going to deal with new people and I didn't even have the comfort of hiding under my coat.

I grit my teeth, sucked in a breath and rapped quickly on the door. There was scuffling, a light, pained 'hey!' and the door swung open. "Hey! You must be the new girl. You bunking with us?" I nodded, and she pulled me in by my arm. "Come on. So, Rogue and Kitty took the beds on the left, and I took the back right. Petey brought up your duffle earlier while I was doing my homework. You really got all your stuff in there? That's crazy. Anyway, your dresser's the one closest to the door, and it's pretty much law that no one sets the alarms earlier than six-"

"You make it sound like I'm staying."

She stopped instantly. I could feel them staring at me, and that set my teeth clenching together. "Well... When Storm told us you were sharing our room, we... well, we assumed you'd talked to the Professor about-"

"I haven't talked to anyone. About anything. I... I don't do well around people." Hoping to end the conversation, I slammed down my foot, following the vibrations to "my" bed and feeling across it. Bag, yes. Coat, no. _Maybe he put it in my bag_, I thought, pulling open the zipper. Not there, either. "Did... 'Pete' bring up a black trenchcoat?" I'm assuming Jubilee gave me the denial. I huffed irritably. "Great. This is... Fan-_fucking_-tastic." Another huff, then I sucked in and held my breath. If it wasn't on my bed, and it wasn't in my bag, it was probably still in Logan's truck. Find the truck, and I'll find my coat. Simple. My heartrate slowed a bit, still almost painfully strong. "Is Logan's truck still out front, or would it have been moved to a garage or something?"

I heard a rustling of thin fabric- sheets? Curtains?- then another voice. "It's still out there."

"Then I'll be back." I turned and started for the door, pausing when I heard footsteps behind me. "...What?"

"Ah'll go too. This hause is a maze. Ya might git lost." My mysterious third roommate. How sweet.

"..Fine. Lead the way." I exaggerated my step to the side, even swinging my arm out to usher her foreword before following her footsteps out the door.

**~7:57 pm~Unknown Location~**

A boot smashed into his face, sending another glob of blood and spit flying. He growled, but bound as he was, he couldn't retaliate. "I'm sick of your games, Victor. Now you can either answer my questions, or I'll send you to Brain, let him carve you open, and you'll answer me anyways."

He managed to roll enough to glare up at the ginger. After a moment, he shot a loogie of blood at her. "Go fuck yourself."

Her face twisted in rage, and he took another boot to the face. _YOU WILL GIVE ME EVERYTHING I WANT! _Her voice screamed in his head. _Even if I have to RIP IT FROM YOUR SKULL!_

**~End Transmission~**

**Yaaay, another chapter. Short as FUCK though. Any bets on her reaction when she realizes she forgot her coat at McDonalds? No? Okay. Any reviews to compliment, criticize, question, rant, flame, anything? No? Yeah, I didn't think so. I hope it's not as shit as I feel like it is.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh look, another chapter. Yay.**

**~April 19~ 7:31 pm~ Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters~**

Rogue's steps were awkward, like she was trying to walk lightly but didn't know how. She would take a breath every few yards, like she wanted to say something, then let it out like she changed her mind. It didn't help my anxiety at all. We were nearly out the front doors before she managed to talk.

"So... How did'jou meet Logan?" She asked conversationally, pushing the door open and letting me pass her.

"I had been walking for most of the day, decided to try hitch-hiking to town, and he offered to bring me here to help me manage my powers." I slowed significantly once I hit the gravel, placing my feet carefully and balancing my weight on the balls to keep the more sensitive skin off the rough ground.

She followed me, staying a little to my left. "Ya know, tha's kinda how Ah met 'im too. Ah though' maybe he'd be nahcer than them others, so Ah hid in his trailer buh-fore 'e left tha bar."

"He mentioned you a couple times." I admitted, still working towards the truck, using Rogue's steps and voice to guide me.

"...Really?"

"Yeah. Said you almost got the both of you killed, but you were a good kid." My outstretched hand touched the side of the truck, and I maneuvered to the door, yanking it open and hauling myself into the cabin. She started to try to explain herself, oblivious to my lack of attention as I groped around on the passenger seat, then the floor, even sweeping an arm under the seat before doing the same to the drivers side, finally nearly crawling into the small area in the back to feel around for it. Where the hell was it?

"Can you double check, please? It's a black trenchcoat, probably faded to dark grey, looks big enough to fit Logan."

"Sure thang, hon." I listened to her crawling around fo a moment before she dropped back onto the gravel. My heart jumped into my throat. "Ah don' see nuthin'."

I sucked in a few breaths, fighting the urge to punch the truck, swear and cry. I only managed to stop one of them. My fists came down on the front siding, followed by a loud "fuck" before I rested my head on my forearms. The sudden motions tugged at my stitched wounds and I winced. I could feel my legs shaking. _Come on Tess. Calm down. Think. Think. It's not in your bag. It's not in the truck. Where else could it be? It could be... with Logan. Logan's room. It probably looked like Logan's, so Pete took it to his room with his stuff. Find Logan, and he'll give it to me. There we go. _

I straightened up, took a deep breath, then sighed. "It's probably with Logan, or in his room. I just have to ask him about it."

I started back towards the doors. Rogue followed after a moment. My steps were a bit more careless, and rocks jabbed into my feet with every other step. I was tempted to take off running as soon as I hit the porch.

A light set of footsteps echoed over to me when we opened the doors. "Hay, Jean, D'you know where Logan is?"

"Yeah, he's... In the danger room with Andra and Kira. Why?" Another woman. Were there more girls here than guys?

"Tessa's tryin' ta find 'er coat. Thinks 'e might know where it is." Rogue started moving again, and I followed her. "Thanks, Jean."

The girl was a pro at finding her way through the maze of a house. She led the way up one hall and down another, around so many twists and turns I lost track of where we where, and at one point we took an elevator down- _who the hell put an elevator in the mansion? That was overkill, seriously- _until there was a sound of doors swishing open and, a few seconds later, someone shouted "Look out!" Apparently, they meant me- almost instantly after, I was hit by a large, heavy mass and knocked to the ground, rolling backwards, feet over head, and landing on my already injured front. I bit down on my tounge, rolled to my back, and wrapped an arm over my stomach.

Running footsteps, and someone skidding. "Oh my god, are you okay? I'm so sorry, there wasn't supposed to be anyone coming in-"

"Shut up. Please."

"Sorry!"

"Sorry, babe. I didn't see you coming- coulda shifted to something smaller."

I slowly sat up, wincing again as the skin around my wounds moved and my chest throbbed simultaniously. "Shit, I think I popped some stitches." I grunted as two people helped me upright, wobbling a bit. "Where the fuck is Logan?"

"I'm right here." I swatted at his hand when he reached out towards me. "Did you really pop your stitches?"

I shrugged, grunting again, and turned towards his voice. "Logan, please, _please _tell me you know where my trenchcoat is."

After a moment, he asked, "It's not with your stuff?" I shook my head. "Check the truck?" A nod. "Probably got shoved in my bag. I'll check when I get back to my room. Come on, let me see."

I pouted, but moved my arm and rolled up the hem of my shirt. I heard someone suck in a breath. "...How bad is it?"

"...Let's get you down to Hank."

I huffed irritably. Too many freaking people. "Who the hell is Hank?"

**~8:25 pm~**

"These stitches are sloppy, though effective... No signs of infection... minimal swelling, clotting well... I'm going to assume this wasn't done professionally, seeing as no hospital I know of would allow anyone to work there if their work was this messy. Can you at least assure me that you didn't do them yourself?"

"I didn't do them myself."

"Do I dare ask who did?"

"Depends, do you trust Logan to do stitches?"

"Gods be with us." My stomach was still stinging, though not as badly as before. Hank had given me an injection for the pain almost as soon as I arrived, and now I could only feel the faint tugging as he redid the stitches on my stomach and his fingers moving my skin into place. Obviously, Five days was not long enough for them to heal beyond needing stitches. "How exactly did you get injured?"

I hesitated. I didn't want Logan to get in trouble, but Hank was a doctor, so he wasn't as likely to push for consequences. He was a stranger, though. But it was an accident... "Logan sounded like he was having a nightmare, so I tried to wake him up. I heard his claws come out and jumped back, just not quite fast enough. So I had him stitch me up, clean it up, and we got going again."

Hank hummed lightly, prodding along the edge of one of the cuts. "That explains it. Have you had any abnormal discomfort from it?"

"Only the fact that I had to sit weird so I could sleep."

"Good. Can I count on you to take antibiotics if I give you some?" More tugging at the wounds, now vaguely stinging where he sewed. I 'eh'd and sort of shrugged. "I didn't think so." Slight pressure, and the sound of tape unravelling. More pressure. "Alright, sit up. Careful." I rolled my eyes- a wasted effort- and moved to sit upright. A large hand pressed against my back to help keep the strain off my stitches. "Any other injuries? I'd prefer not to have you brought down again because I didn't treat everything."

"No, that's it." He prodded at my stomach a few seconds longer before helping me off the table. "Can you help me get to Logan's room? or ask someone else to?"

"Of course. First, I want you to take these-" He pulled my hand out and dropped a pair of pills in my palm- "and then I'll bring you up."

I gave a shrug. "Alright." A quick tilt of the head and a forced swallow.

"I _was _going to bring you some water."

"Water's for pussies. Besides, it gives me cotton mouth."

He huffed, then grasped my wrist lightly and started walking. I whined. "Dude, You don't have to lead me like a kid! Seriously, first I'm being carried without permission, now I'm being led like I'm four- you guys have issues with my blindfold, don't you?"

He scoffed, and a few minutes later released me to knock on Logans door. A couple of heavy footsteps, the creak of hinges. "Hey, Tess. Hank."

I stomped again while Hank informed Logan that I should be kept under watch to make sure I didn't strain the stitches any worse than necessary, getting a quick look at the hallway and Logan's room. With some quiet goodbye, Hank took off to return to his medical lab. "You wanna just stand around in the hallway for a bit?"

I deliberately ignored him. "Did you find my trenchcoat?" I mentally cursed at the desperate edge in my voice. I thought I had that under control. The chill wrapping around my chest disagreed.

His weught shifted, creaking slightly on the floor. "No, it's not in any of my stuff." That chill clenched and I slapped my hand against the doorway, turning away, taking a couple steps. _In control, stay calm, don't- _An echoing thud, underscored with a cracking sound, reverbetated down the hall. Pain blossomed in my fist, and I got a very clear view of the insides of the wall for a few feet down. Both hands moved to grab at my hair. My forehead hit the wall with a lot less force. "Fuck... _Fuck._" Deep breaths, Tess... In... Out... Calm. "When... When's the last time you remember me wearing it?"

He answered too fast. He'd already thought about it. "At that McDonalds Yesterday."

Was there a draft in the hallway? God, it felt cold. My jaw was almost frozen. "I didn't bring it back to the truck. Did I." I didn't really hear his response. Had my legs been shaking for long? I couldn't remember. They buckled suddenly, the shaking taking over the rest of me when I hit the floor. My breaths rattled. My shoulders shook. My eyes stung. Was I-? No, no, I couldn't cry, not now, not in front of people, not in front of _Logan-_ I punched the wall again, the quick movement tugging a few strands of hair out. _"Damn it!" _I swung again, and again, and would have kept going, if Logan hadn't caught my arm.

"Tess, it's just a coat. We can get you another one-"

_"It's not just a coat!" _I hissed, clenching my fist just to feel it throb painfully. I wrenched my arm free after a few twists, rolling off my knees with the force, focusing on the pain. Don't cry. Don't you dare. "It's not just a coat. That... That was all I had left of him. _That was all I had left of my dad, Logan."_ My head drooped to my shoulder. I was still shaking- it still felt cold. I never felt cold. Not when I had my coat on. Dad's coat.

After a moment, he rested a hand on my almost vibrating shoulder, giving it an awkward pat. We sat there for a long while, quiet except for our breathing, until my shakes stopped, and my breaths came evenly, and I took note of the odd texture on my hand. I was a glutton for punishment. "Come on. I probably need more stitches."

**~April 20~ 8:44 AM~ Unknown Location~**

"Integration was sucessful. He should be fully responsive."

"Thank you, Brain." Magneto walked over to the thicker built man sitting on a low bench, where he'd been sitting since he'd been told to do so. He seemed completely content, if a bit bored, picking at his fingers, occasionally picking at his teeth. "Victor, I have a few questions for you."

He glanced up, claw slipping free as it plucked a small bit of meat from his teeth. "Shoot."

Magneto smiled. "Well, let's start with what you know about that young girl you've been tailing for a bit longer than we have. Tessandra."

Victor smirked. "Where do I begin?"

**~End Transmission~**

**That was a fun chapter to write. I enjoy torturing my characters.**

**Have I mentioned that I've got this story written out to page sixty-four in a couple of notebooks, unedited, without the little cutscenes with the bad guys included? Because I do. I also have it mostly planned out to the end. :3 There will be some pretty major changes throughout, seeing as I noticed a few places where Tess got a bit Mary-Sue, including a bout two pages worth a couple of chapters ago, and I want to get a bit more character development and bonding time in before shit hits the fan. Don't worry, that's still QUITE A WAYS OFF.**

**Please review! They keep me motivated to keep typing because I know you guys are enjoying it. :3**


	8. Chapter 8

**OH yay another chapter! Fun fun.**

**~April 19~9:35 PM~Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters~**

"I admit, I wasn't expecting you back so soon, Tessandra."

"It's Just Tess. Tess or Tessa."

"Tessa. Do I even want to ask how this one came about?"

"...I punched a wall. A lot."

"Of course. "

It was quiet again while Hank bandaged my hand, wrapping it tight around my bloody knuckles and the gauze pads he'd put over them. Logan was waiting for me by the door. I refused to answer any more questions, and Hank thankfully didn't press. Happy with his work, he pat my arm and helped me down, With a 'playful' urge to avoid going three for three.

Logan walked calmly beside me, leading the way upstairs in an almost companionable silence. His footsteps bounced off the walls quietly, just loud enough that I couldn't hear my own. He stopped outside my shared room, and I imagined him dipping his head as he bid me goodnight and started walking again. The room erupted in scuffles and whispers before he'd even taken three steps, and he paused for a moment before giving a soft snort and continuing along. I sighed and pushed open the door.

"Tessy!" They squealed. I winced at the abruptness of the noise, tensing up as someone grabbed my arms and pulled me inside. "We were waiting for you to show up again! Where have you been? Rogue said you had to get stitches- Oh my gosh, what happened to your hand?!"

I squirmed free, rubbing my hands over my arms and backing towards my bed. "Please, don't touch me." I hissed. The backs of my knees hit the edge of the matress and I dropped down on it. "Rogue and Logan dropped me off with Hank. He undid my crappy stitching, redid them his way, then led me up to Logan's room. I asked _him _about my trench coat, and apparently, I forgot it at a restrant we stopped at yesterday. I got mad... and I punched the wall. A couple times. Or... maybe five. Logan took me back to Hank, got my hand bandaged, and brought me back here. Happy now?"

They were quiet for a moment, then the last of my roommates- Kitty, seeing as she was the only one I hadn't heard introduce herself- asked, "What's so important about it? I mean, it's just-"

"If you're going to say it's 'just a coat,' I suggest you don't finish that sentence." I growled out. She went quiet. After a moment of feeling across my covers, I found my bag and hunted down my pyjammas. "I'm going to change," I stated, "then I want to go to bed." None of them stopped me as I moved to enter the small bathroom. They didn't say anything when I came out, shoved my clothes in my bag, and shoved my bag under the bed. I took this as a sign of their acceptance and curled up in the smallest ball I could fit in comfortably, dumping my blindfold on the side table and pulling the blankets over my head.

Silence. If I listened hard, I could hear them breathing, the scratch of sheets, a rustle of rolling over in bed.

...

_God dammit I can't sleep like this._

I laid there for a long while- or, maybe just a few minutes, it's hard to keep track of time when it's dark and you're waiting- before giving up on sleep and rolling out of bed. The floor was chilly, though not as bad as it could have been. I paced quietly out the door and shut it behind me before daring to stomp. The rooms around me were full of girls and ladies settling down for bed, the hallways clear for the most part. Abruptly, I didn't care where I was, or where I was going, or what I was doing- I had to _go._

Walk, run, fly, _something. _Anything but stay still.

My legs were moving before I finished thinking. Every five steps my foot dropped hard, sending vibrations up my leg. Still no one. The hallway split off in two, one leading into the depths of the building, the other ending a short ways out in a door that lead to the grounds. If I remembered right, Storm said this door lead out to a small fountain. That was as good a place as any.

I nearly tripped down the steps, but at least there was no gravel to jab at my feet. I felt along the path with my toes until I found the fountain. The cement was cold, even through the fluff of my sweatpants. Out here, I could hear a few night birds chirping quietly, the hoots of an owl, the trickle and patter of the water. Something I could listen to. _So much better, _I thought to my self, dipping the tips of my fingers into the water. Calm. Quiet. Alone.

_All alone, just like before._

God. Dammit.

**~10:12 PM~Unknown Location~**

The blonde winced, pulling loose from the teens mind. "How cute. She feels bad."

"She's a teenager. It's probably the whirlwind of hormones getting to you." Bear ducked just in time to avoid a wrench to the face.

Psyche hissed. "I can tell the difference, you pathetic excuse for a mutant!"

Victor chuckled from his seat. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty~"

"_Shut up, cat!" _He obeyed, slipping into silence. She sighed, rubbing her temples. "There should only be so much angst in a persons mind. _You_ should feel bad, asshole- She's beating herself up over 'killing' you. You and that ridiculous twin of hers-"

His eyes flashed, belying his awareness. "Don't you _dare _talk about him," he growled. She sneered back.

**~10:23 PM~Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters~**

The darkest of my thoughts were swirling through my head. I was considering the odds of successfully drowning myself in the fountain when a gruff voice brought me back to the real world. "You okay, kid?" I turned around, eyes fluttering open for a moment before I remembered my missing blindfold and clenched them shut. "Sorry. You usually hear me coming."

"...little distracted."

Now that I knew he was there, his footsteps seemed to echo forever in the still of the dark. He walked up to sit beside me on the ledge of the fountain. "What's up?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

He snorted. "I know that look kid, and I can smell it on you, too. Something's got you in a bad mood."

I shrugged in silence, dipping my fingers in the water again and trailing them around in a small circle that eventually shifted into a figure eight.

"Does... Do you think breaking promises makes you a bad person? ... Even if they're just to yourself?"

"Sometimes... you don't have a choice." He suddenly nudged my shoulder. "C'mon. I think there's ice cream in the kitchen. Girls like ice cream, right?"

A half-choked laugh surprised me. I nodded. "Yeah. Sounds great."

**~Unknown Location~**

"Tell me, Victor. You once went by 'Sabretooth' did you not?" The feline gave a grunt in confirmation. "Would you go by it again? Would you revoke your Slave name and join the brotherhood fighting to show the humans just how much we outclass them?"

"Well, that would depend." Victor rolled onto his side, proping his head up on his fist. "What's in it for me? Gonna make me a prince? buy me a castle?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of something you've wanted for a very long time. A certain... operation you were denied. A little something called '_Adamantium._'"

Victor's eyes flickered. "You have my attention."

"I knew I would. Firstly, I'll need your agreement to help with little Tessandra..."

**~April 20~7:45 AM~Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters~**

These people were much too awake for so early in the morning. Already running around, Laughing, joking, catching up on homework around the large cafeteria, where the long tables had been replaced with smaller seperate tables for the small groups of people to gather around. Logan had met me at the doors, nudging my shoulder and asking if I'd gotten any sleep after our little late night snack. I grunted and followed him through the line to get food. He put a tray in my hands and led me along, asking if I wanted something as we passed and dishing out what I asked for. He was a tough guy, but I think he had a soft spot for me. With a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast, we claimed an empty table to eat.

"So, what is there to do here?" I asked conversationally around a mouthful of scrambled egg.

"Classes. There's some games in the rec. room. Library around here somewhere. City not too far off if you're into the public scene, which I don't think you are. Danger Room, not that you'd be able to do anything for a while with those stitches. Maybe you could just walk around and _socialize._"

"I will socialize with people I don't know when you paint your claws orange and dress in Drag." I swallowed some chocolate milk to wash down a dry piece of bacon. "I'm not doing anything that requires me moving quickly because no, I didn't sleep last night... or early this morning. What kinda-"

"Tessandra," that grandfatherly voice cut in, accompanied by a low whirring from the motors of his wheelchair. "I was hoping to catch you before you went exploring. Logan mentioned that you were considering taking some classes to control your powers. If you're willing, after breakfast, I would like to talk to you more about this in my office."

I gave Logan what felt like an accusing look. "...Sure, I guess. It'd be nice to not wear a blindfold all the time."

"Excellent. Logan, would you mind showing Miss Tessandra to my office when you're done?" Logan grunted a confirmation, and with a polite farewell, Professor Xavier rolled away.

"I guess I'm sticking around, then." I huffed, downing some more eggs before continuing, "What am I supposed to do when I'm not 'training?' I haven't had a steady home in damn near five years, longer since I've had one with a supply of food, games, leisure activities-"

"See, that's the thing. you don't have to _do _anything. You could sit around all day and do nothing."

"No, I can't." He started to point out how wrong I was and I waved my bacon at him. "No, I mean I physically can't. I need to be occupied, either mentally, physically, or both. I get stir-crazy very quickly."

"Well then I guess you need a hobby."

"You're an Ass."

"I feel like we've had this discussion before."

"Oh shut up."

**~End Transmission~**

**Oh look, a not-depressing ending. :3 *pointedly waits for a response from the readers*...**

**I know you're out there. MY TRAFFIC STATS SAY SO. I would also like to thank my lovely darling DaniZaraki for being such a wonderful being and reviewing every chapter. You make me feel like dancing. Until I remember I can't dance.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Behold! The glory of my boredom!**

**I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did writing. :3**

**~April 20~8:05 AM~Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters~**

I hesitated outside the big door. Logan stood only a step-and-a-half ahead of me, clearly much more at ease about this than I was. He rapped on the door a couple times, then pushed it open. "Hey, Chuck. I brought the Kid up for ya."

"Thank you, Logan. Let her in. And if you wouldn't mind shutting the door behind you...?"

I grit my teeth and walked foreword, Logan patting my shoulder as I passed. The door clicked shut behind me. "Hello, Tessandra. You look tired- didn't sleep well? Were the ladies keeping you up?"

I forced a polite smile, intending to lie and say it was just the nerves of being in a new place. But, then again, this guy wasn't exactly a shrink, so he couldn't really try any typical shrink stuff. "I didn't sleep. New place, strange sounds, sometimes too quiet. I started thinking, and if I think too long I think things I shouldn't and then I can't sleep at all. Partly the girls' fault."

"Mmhm." He was quiet for a moment. "Does this have anything to do with the jacket you lost?" I tensed up against my will. "I thought so. Well, though I can't bring it back, I can promise you that we will do everything in our power to make you more comfortable here." His wheelchair scuffed on the floor. "Please, have a seat. I have a few questions I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind too terribly."

Several choice responses came to mind. I bit them back and settled in the chair in front of his desk. "I really appreciate your accepting me here," I started.

"But you don't want to stay." He cut in. I bit back a vicious snarl. "You don't want to get attached again. You're afraid of losing control and putting people in danger-"

I practically flew out of the seat, backing away. "_How the fuck do you know that?"_ I hissed, clawing for the door. I needed an escape route, fast.

"My apologies. I'd assumed someone would tell you. I am a telepath, dear. It's part of how I help the children in my care solve their problems, grasp their mutations, control them. It's often our personal demons of the past that prevent the control and growth of our abilities. It also makes me privy to important details that may otherwise be left out."

I fought another hiss, even as panic mixed into the words gathering in my throat. _I was right I was fucking right they know they know He KNOWS-!_

"Please, calm down, Tessandra! You'll hurt yourself!" His wheels rolled again, moving towards me.

_"Don't you dare!" _I spat, choking down the panic. That was the most important rule hed taught me, never panic, never let it control you. "You stay over there, and _stay the fuck out of my head!"_ He stopped, and for a few long moments the only sound I could make out was my own labored breathing. My mind scrambled for the lessons my dad had beaten into my head since I was young- Stay calm, Keep control, poker face. Breathe in, breathe out. One, two. Easy. Simple. MY heart was still beating wildly.

"Tessandra?"

It took a long two minutes before I let my legs give and sank to a crouch against the door. Every few seconds, my breathing would hitch and I'd take another slow, deliberate breath to even them out again.

"I understand that confronting your past is difficult. I apologize- I should have asked before delving into your thoughts, unguarded though they were. You might be surprised to know you are not the first to react so severely to my power, or my bringing up thoughts they thought they had kept to themselves. But I have never shared anothers thoughts without their consent, and I don't intend to start now. Nothing we talk about will be brought up around anyone else. I only want to help you. Will you please come back and sit with me?" I shook my head violently. He sighed. "I didn't think so. Are you calm enough that I could get you to talk to me?" I gave no answer.

Those wheels squeaked again, then settled. "Is there anything I could do to convince you that you don't need to fear me? Something that could get you to let me help you?" Another long silence. A sigh. "Alright. Well, I will clear up a few things, then. Yes, I do know about your past- at least what you were thinking about while you confronted Logan last night and while you sat at the fountain. Your thoughts project unusually well, possibly because you've not come across a telepath before. I know about the attack that killed your brother. I know that you tried to run away. I know about your father, and how much he meant to you- how much he still means to you." He hushed me. "Calm down. It's only fair you know. I know how you learned of your power, as well, and how much it scares you. If there is anything I can do- anything any of us can do- to help you get your life back, I promise you that we will do it."

I swallowed a pathetic sound. "I-I just really need t-to get outside. Please." MY hand was already scrambling for the doorknob before he gave any response, and as soon as the door was open wide enough to escape I was running down the hall. It didn't matter where I was going, not at first- it didn't even cross my mind that I might be lost until I had rounded the fifth corner and could no longer hear anyone in the mansion. My step faltered, and after a few seconds, I hit the wall, slid to the floor, and worked on quieting my breathing.

**~8:25 AM~Unknown Location~**

"He's not the best with Traumatized Tennagers, is he?" Psyche gave a pleased harumph, glancing towards Magneto. "She's in a panic, but working out of it. Should I act now?"

A moment of deliberation. "...No. We aren't prepared to take her yet. Is there anyone approaching?"

"Yes. Two teens."

"Good. Use her panic to mask your presence- their fear will make quite the rift. And use something... subtle, to keep her from trusting him."

"Yes, Sir."

He turned to his other men- Bear, lounging in the corner, Brain, working on his little project, and Sabretooth, leaning on the wall, looking ready to pounce. "Gentlemen, It's time to prepare for the arrival of our key player."

**~8:27 AM~Xaviers School for gifted Youngsters~**

I could hear the footsteps approaching. Every soft tap made me even more tense, until I was wound tighter than a broken rib. For a short moment I coul hear them talking about some homework assignment as they walked past the junction of my hallway and theirs. _Please, just walk past,_ I hoped in vain.

"Hey, isn't that the new girl?" A soft soprano cut in.

My heart started pounding again. I sucked in a breath, held it as long as I could. They came closer. "Hey, Are You Okay?"

"Stay away."

Their footsteps paused. "What happened?" A tenory voice this time. They started again.

"I said, _stay away!_" I spat, clawing at the wall to get upright. Their footsteps kept coming. MY heart leapt into my throat, pounding out every other sound-

A hand touched my arm and I jerked away, nearly falling again. For a second I heard only silence, then suddenly I could see. A large section of ceiling had collapsed, completely blocking the hallway. I stared in shock and horror. _No... no, no, no, No, NO!_

My legs reacted first, and I was off again, clutching my blindfold like a lifeline, even though my eyes were shut so tight I could feel the strain in my muscles. Down a hallway, up another, halfway down the stairs and over the banister when it took too long. Every step hit so hard I could tell where I was going without having both feet down. A doorway to the left- big and fancy, definitely to outdoors. I burst through them out onto the grass of the lawn. _Think, Tess- Where can you go? What's around?_

_The woods, _a thought answered almost immediately. It had been wide and sprawling, a perfect backdrop for the storybook-reminiscent mansion I almost hadn't fully registered. Lots of space. Perfect. I hadn't been still for two seconds and I was off again. I hadn't done so much running in a while- I could feel the jagged sawing of air through my lungs, the achey burn in my legs. It felt good. I focused on it, forcing the emotions out of my heart, the thoughts out of my head. Step-step-step-step- In- step-step-step-step- Out. The coil of muscle, the springy snap to propell me forth. I hadn't just run since dad, and Max. So many relexes I'd lost when I stopped running, all coming back.

_"You don't need your eyes. Listen. Feel it. You can run better blind than anyone can, period." _

Past one tree, then another, then three, and between two growing too close together. I was rusty.

Running face-first into a thick, hard-barked oak tree supported that.

I lay flat on my back amidst a carpet of leaves in various stages of decay, face scrunched up in pain, the hand clutching my blindfold resting over my nose, for a long time. As the pain faded, I acknowledged that the panic was gone as well. My heart had calmed, beating normally, and my breathing was a bit raspy, but even. I had heard him. That was the first time in a long time I'd heard him so clearly, not to mention hearing him without the emotions that usually followed._ If he could see me now, _I thought irritably,_ he'd glower and give me that loud frown he used whenever I messed up something he knew I could do well. _

The forest around me was quiet. There were a few rustlings out further, probably a hundred feet or so, but nothing got more than twenty feet. It was peaceful, and here I was an intruder. A stranger. Disrupting their daily routines. A smile took my face against my will. Scared of me... just like I was afraid of the mansion. Irrational, but they were anyways. I couldn't keep running away. Dad... would have been ashamed of me. Living like a gypsy.

The small rustlings went quiet again, and Now I could hear the appraoching footsteps. _I'm not ready for people,_ I groaned to myself. I rolled to my stomach, in same move shrinking down, shifting, until fur covered my body. A quick glance reassured me that they were still in the distance. I bit down on the fabric of my blindfold and sprung off in what I assumed was left of my original direction.

**~9:33 AM~**

Logan cursed as yet another bramble clung to his pantleg. Of all the places the kid could have run, she picked the wilderness. He didn't blame her, he would have done the same, but still. Was it neccessary for there to be so many damned weeds?

The school was in a bit of an uproar. After the building had stopped tremoring, they'd found the collapsed hallway, with Jonah and Megan dazed nearby. They'd explained how Tess had freaked out and brought down the roof, then left Jean and two young telekinetics to do what they could for the mess. Kim, a tiny thing who could turn invisible, had quickly piped up that she'd seen Tess run into the woods, and being the one she trusted most (not that that was saying much) Logan had been elected to hunt her down. Scott had insisted he help, and taken off into the woods where Kim said she'd seen Tess, leaving Logan to hunt through the rest of the woods.

The asshole would never make it through a survival class. He'd have to talk to Chuck about that, see if he could get it in the curriculum.

He ducked under a branch, senses searching for a familar sound or smell or a sign she'd been through. Another bramble snagged his leg and he yanked it loose, leaning against a tree. Said tree hissed.

He tilted his head back, watching a small bundle of white jump up to a higher branch, a wad of black fabric blocking most of her mouth. "How long have you been in the trees?" She hissed again. "Come on. You've been out here for almost an hour." She scrunched closer to the trunk as he reached up, tiny paws gripping the branch precariously. They stared eachother down for a long minute. He leaned closer.

Her paw flashed out to scratch him before she leapt for another branch, barely landing before pouncing off again.

Logan swore for the millionth time and followed. She was quick, he admitted, and she knew how to work the trees to her advantage, but her snow-white fur eliminated any chance for cameoflage. He would lose sight of her for a few seconds, then catch the flash of white careening off in another direction and correct his path to keep up, half expecting her to either dissappear or fall from the canopy and break a leg, or worse. Just when she seemed to be tiring out, she came to a stop, turned on the too-thin twig she'd landed on, and launched in the opposite direction.

Exhasperated, he yelled to her, "What are you running from?!" The silence of the forest answered him. He couldn't hear the branches rattling anymore.

A long sigh. "Fine," he muttered, "just keep running."

**~9:57 AM~**

He was giving up. I could see him from my perch, hidden behind a flourish of leaves, and he was done running. Now, he was walking in roughly the direction of the school, his words still echoing in the treetops. _What are you Running From? _

_Didn't I want to be alone? _I hissed at myself. _That's why I was running, wasn't it? Why are you sad? You were running from him, and now he's leaving. Mission accomplished. Now you're alone. All... alone..._

_**I don't want to be alone again.**_

One little jump, then another, and another, and when I was closer to the ground I let my bones shift and muscles twist until I was human again and dropped the rest of the way, landed wobbly on my feet, tying the blindfold tight over my face. His footsteps stopped. Silence.

"What are you running from, Tess?" A small rustle of leaves. "From the school? From Chuck? From People?"

My throat wouldn't cooperate- my attempt to speak came out a choked breathy sound. I swallowed hard. "I... I don't know anymore." He made an irritated noise and my heart stuttered. "I just... I thought I wanted to be alone... but I don't. I can't. I can't be alone again."

More footsteps. A hand on my shoulder, not leaving when I flinched. "You won't be."

**~End Transmission~**

**OVER 2000 WORDS FUCK YEAH**

**This entire chapter, for the most part, was not part of my original draft of this story. As you can tell, these things get better the longer they ferment in my head. I like it. Makes me feel awesome.**

**I've considered maybe having a friend help me type up my written copy for your comparison. Just so you can see how much I tweak and change and replace.**

**Reviews? Pretty Please? Like for real?**


End file.
